Inside The Rockets

Rockets Made Impact with Nets Pick Trade

The Houston Rockets shook up the NBA with their trade this offseason with the Brooklyn Nets.

Jeremy Brener

Jan 27, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) steals the ball from Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (28) in the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Jan 27, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) steals the ball from Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (28) in the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets made a bold decision earlier in the offseason when swapping picks with the Brooklyn Nets.

The Rockets had control of the next two years of Nets' draft picks, but they gave Brooklyn its potential top selections back in exchange for some of the Phoenix Suns future.

Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale listed the trade as one of the 30 most impactful moves of the offseason.

"It's an interesting, if not ingenious, gambit," Favale writes. "Controlling Phoenix's firsts in 2027 and 2029 is especially interesting. Is Houston loading up on distant picks for a general consolidation trade? Or does it have a particular target in mind, perhaps one whose name rhymes with Bevin Dooker? Or Devin Kurant? Career bullhorns will argue that the Rockets just jettisoned at least one top-five pick. They may be right. But again, there is no guarantee the Nets belly flop into the tank if Houston doesn't facilitate the return of those selections. Plus, it's not like the Rockets have a ton of wiggle room to incorporate more imminent first-rounders anyway.

The full impact of the deal hasn't been felt yet, but the Rockets clearly have a long-term plan for this. Because of the future, it's a massive risk, but it's one that general manager Rafael Stone is willing to take.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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